SHAH ALAM - The trend of using online platforms to sell nude photos and to set up appointments for physical sexual encounters is becoming more common among the youth, who see it as a way to generate quick income in order to maintain a lavish lifestyle.
Criminologist Nadiah Syariani Md Shariff sounded the alarm over this alarming phenomenon, highlighting that many adults remain oblivious to its pervasiveness.
"The trend of using social media platforms or Internet for sexual exploitation is not new, it has been an issue for ages.
"The only change is the choice of platforms and the means of how these services operate, which depends on various factors such as the popularity of the platform, demands, ease of execution and a trace of digital evidence,” she told Sinar Daily.
While the use of social media for sexual exploitation is not a new issue, she warned that the methods and platforms have evolved, making it harder to detect.
"The monetary return gets the youngsters ‘hooked’ and continue to explore and learn more ways to create explicit content.
"With increasing demands of having these contents, it keeps them committed to providing them, especially with money as motivation.
"Therefore, posting nude pictures or videos while remaining anonymous is easy and doable for people of any age, as long as you don’t get caught.
"Factors such as ease of execution, anonymity, lower risk of getting caught and greater financial return are cumulative factors that this activity become an unpopular choice among youngsters,” she said.
The trend is further fueled by the glorification of material wealth and success, often portrayed on social media.
This, Nadiah said, exerted pressure on young people to find fast and easy ways to fund expensive lifestyles and obtain luxury items.
"When the benefit from such action weighs more than the risk associated with it, people are at high propensity to choose to engage in such activity knowing that they can always get away with it.
Nadiah warned that these youths, driven by curiosity and a lack of proper guidance, are particularly vulnerable to sexual exploitation.
Adolescence, she pointed out, is a period of heightened innocence and an eagerness to explore, which can lead young individuals down a perilous path.
"The risk is higher, especially for those with lack parental supervision and involvement, when information seeking and exploring new experience are done without proper guidance from trusted adults.
"We already face a lot of cases of online sexual abuse against children due to these factors, and the consequences can be detrimental for individuals as it can lead to physical and emotional trauma, unforeseen social challenges, sexualised behaviours and identity issues and long-term mental health issues,” she said.
Meanwhile, Arunachala Research and Consultancy Sdn Bhd principal consultant R. Paneir Selvam said the trend was a concern and that there were several key factors that contributed to the increase in individuals, especially females and teenagers to resort to social media for selling explicit content for financial purposes.
"One of the primary reasons is the easy accessibility of the platform, often at no additional cost.
"The advanced encryption features provide a sense of security for their accounts, making them feel protected.
"By selectively inviting known individuals or acquaintances to join, they believe they can control the environment of the platform,” he said.
Paneir also pointed out that the influence of social media and peer pressure cannot be overstated.
Many young people are drawn into this illicit activity as a means of fitting in with their peers or achieving a lifestyle they feel entitled to. But the long-term consequences of such choices are far more dire than they realise.
"Educating and empowering individuals, especially minors, about the risks and consequences of such activities is crucial.
"Viewing explicit content can impact how children and young people perceive sexuality, gender and relationships. Studies indicate that minors who share explicit content may engage in unsafe sexual practices.
"Some research also suggests that exposure to explicit content can contribute to supporting violence and minors who are exposed to explicit content may become less sensitive to risky behaviour and display aggressive behaviours,” he said.
Paneir also added that exposure to explicit content could disrupt healthy sexual development and result in legal consequences for minors.
Overall, he pointed out that the legal and ethical implications of minors selling explicit content online were significant.
"As a criminologist, it is essential to address these issues by enforcing laws, implementing stricter regulations, and offering education and support to prevent harm to vulnerable individuals," he said.